JAN 11 -- Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division and R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida announced the convictions of Joyce Lynn Govea and Arianne Blanco, both of Key West, Florida, for attempting to deliver approximately 300 grams of pure methamphetamine. This seizure was one of the largest seizures of methamphetamine in the Florida Keys.

On Tuesday, January 10, 2006, a federal jury in Key West, found defendant Govea guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846. Govea faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years and a maximum of up to life imprisonment, and up to $4,000,000 in fines. Co-defendant Blanco pled guilty on January 5, 2006 to the same charges. Blanco faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a statutory maximum of up to forty (40) years imprisonment, and up to $2,000,000 in fines.

Blanco and Govea were arrested in Key Largo, Florida, as part of a joint investigation between the DEA Miami Field Division, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. When law enforcement officers searched Blanco’s and Govea’s car, they found over 300 grams of pure methamphetamine inside a bag in the trunk. This amount of methamphetamine was the equivalent of over 1,200 doses of the drug. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive narcotic that leads to serious mental and physical side effects, including severe weight loss, disfiguring skin sores, paranoia, hallucinations, stroke, and liver damage.